"Half of the 200 people who had died as of yesterday in New Mexico from COVID-19 were Native Americans, a jarring number for a population that makes up 11% of the state’s population.

It’s another grim statistic for the state’s 23 tribes who have borne the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Mexico. Nearly 60% of people identified to date through testing as infected with the virus are indigenous." ​

By Rinalia Abdul Rahim
Senior Vice President, Strategy, Communications and Engagement
​"In these uncertain times we know the Internet is so much more than a tool. It’s a way for people to stay connected, informed, and educated. It shortens distances, spurs innovation, and fosters social and economic development. It empowers us and frees us.
It is a lifeline.
Yet, nearly 50% of the world still remains unconnected – and globally the Internet faces threats, each with the power to undermine the core of its existence. Now more than ever we must ensure the Internet remains open, globally connected, and secure. 
The world is counting on it.
As we looked back at our work in 2019, an inspiring theme emerged: a global society driven by the idea that the Internet should be a resource for all, and persevering against odds to make this vision a reality. This society recognizes the Internet’s power as a way to stay in touch, to empower, to enable, and to create. Collectively, we are not just helping to bridge the digital divide, we are taking action to ensure the Internet remains resilient and trusted – a force for good."

Click here to read the Internet Society's 2019 Impact Report.

BY COLIN RHINESMITH, JO DUTILLOY & SUSAN KENNEDY 
BENTON INSTITUTE FOR BROADBAND & SOCIETY
PUBLISHED MAY 6, 2020

"​Many digital equity advocates applauded the Federal Communications Commission’s recent clarification explicitly allowing public schools and libraries to let their communities access E-Rate-supported Wi-Fi services while their buildings are closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. This development will hopefully make public libraries feel more comfortable sharing their E-Rate-supported Wi-Fi access without fearing any penalties from the FCC. And, as Cecelia Kang’s recent New York Times article shows, this development is sorely needed particularly for those reliant on public library parking lot internet access in communities across the U.S."

BY GWYNETH DOLAND, NEW MEXICO IN DEPTH | MAY 4, 2020

"​When the University of New Mexico announced March 19 that all spring semester classes would move online and all students should move out of the dorms, 21-year-old communications major Hannah John went home. But she couldn’t stay long.

Tall Ponderosa pines are the major architectural feature of Vanderwagen, population 1,700. Sandwiched between the Navajo Nation and Zuni Pueblo along New Mexico’s western border, it’s about half an hour away from Wingate High School, a Bureau of Indian Education school, where John’s parents teach. The school has been online since the 1990s, but at home in Vanderwagen, John’s internet is still spotty.

'I went home for a week to test it out, but it was super slow,' John said in a phone interview. 'It wouldn’t Zoom or anything.'"